What Do You Do With Yours?

August 13, 2013

Lot’s of people who I coach hide behind the excuse of time for not achieving what they want. They just can’t seem to ‘Find the time’ or, ‘If only I had more time, I would achieve so much more’. Oh yes, they would surely pursue that dream goal, see their family, write that blockbuster book, learn that new skill or simply exercise more often, if they just had the time.

I ask my clients (Sometimes, not always) “If I could give you an extra 3 or 4 hours in your week, would you be able to achieve more? Would you be able to write that book for instance?” They all answer with a resounding “Yes”. Most people will say they would get so much more done. I ask in such a manner, that it seems like I am agreeing there isn’t enough time-just to catch them out. If you think I am being a bit sneaky doing that, you are right. I am.

With a few probing questions it is very easy to discover how these clients are actually spending their precious time. In most cases they seem to fritter it away on TV sitcoms, computer games, surfing the internet, watching movies, going out, getting up late etc. When this is pointed out to them in detail they soon realize that it is not the time they don’t have enough of, but how they choose to spend it.

Your time is constantly ticking away

(TV and the internet, not surprisingly, seem to be the two most popular pastimes that distract people away from what they want)

Now you may think the next few points are so simplistic that they are insulting to your intelligence, and I suppose they will be; if you spend your time wisely. If that is the case I apologize. However, should you fall into the category of using the excuse, “If only I had more time” then it’s time to wake up, take note and use them.

Cut down your TV watching by 75%. And use that time more wisely

Cut down your internet surfing by 50%. And use that time to learn something new

Get up just half an hour earlier than you do now. And use that time to visualise what you want or read over and review your compelling goals

Don’t go out clubbing or drinking (Or however you use that time) for two months. And use that time to brush up on a new skill

If you have to commute through long traffic jams why not learn a new language or listen to a positive passage from an inspiring novel?

Instead of switching the TV on the moment you arrive home and slumping on the couch, why not spend an hour writing out your goals?

If you employed these tactics for 6 months how much more time would you be able to use to get what you want? If you got up half an hour earlier for example and wrote two pages on your ebook, in just 3 months you would have a 180 page probable master piece under your belt. And that is a good sized ebook.

All of the successful people you meet and know only have 24 hours in their days too.

Become time conscious. Write down, if you dare, how many hours you are spending doing things that are completely worthless or taking you away from your goals.

Time is a coin we have to spend in life. But what do you do with yours? Maybe it’s time to rid yourself of the excuse that you never have enough? Always be conscious of how you are spending your time-money. I try my best not to waste it. If I am in a queue, I will use that time to visualize myself successfully completing a couple of the action steps that I have planned out. Okay, it may only be five short minutes but far better than spending that time moaning.

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I am a published author and writer of several ebooks. Known as the Mind Coach, I help people unlock their true potential so that they can achieve their dreams and goals and perform better more of the time.